Troy, Michigan--December 28, 2004--Navya Shastra, a
global organization of scholars, activists, priests
and laypeople
dedicated to fostering the spiritual equality of all
Hindus, has called upon the global Hindu community to
contribute generously to the victims of the December
26 earthquake, which claimed over 6000
lives--according to the latest estimates-- in India
alone. "Our religious ideals, enshrined in the Vedas
and the Thirukkural, exhort us to give to those in
need", said VC Vijayaraghavan, a Navya Shastra member
from London,
"this is all the more important because so many of
the victims were innocent children."

Navya Shastra also condemned organizations in India
who blamed the
devastating earthquake on the arrest of the Kanchi
Acharya, Sri
Jayendra Saraswati. "Hindus should not ascribe the
disaster to divine retribution", said Rajarathina
Bhattar, Navya Shastra advisor and Houston priest, "at
times like these sane voices must prevail."